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The Subscription Magazine For The
ZX-81 AND T/S-1888 MICROCOMPUTERS

IN THIS ISSUE

OCTOBER 1982

This Months Cassette Progrus 3

The Conputer Tutor - Sort Routines 8

View Of Vu-Cak - Review 13

Editor Ranblings 19

Letters To The Editor 22

THE S & S COMPANY
STNCtffiO-SETTE is published 388 W. LAKE STREET

ADDISON, ’IL, £8181
(312) 628-8955

nonthty by:

SORTS - CONT.

And there you have it. RtN the
progrn now the mm way as before
and observe the results. Everything
is sorted as you can see. Beautiful,
right?

to sort
there.

the inputs you create £

Replace the SKELETON PROGRAM with
a DRIVER PROGRAM of your own design

aar

i

Replace
DRIVER
to sort
yourself.

the inputs you nal

For your honework, 1 would like
you all to use these techniques that
you now have westered and use then
to create a sort routine that can be
inserted into the FILE progran and
wilt sort all the arrays in proper
order.

It should be a single affair to
of the Bubble Sort

i

find the areas
progrm and the
proqran

Exchange Sort
and insert the sane routine

Stop your screening. Class £
dismissed.

immi**HemieHf»tem*imie

Sxooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot 2 JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOfS

There art 8 programs on this
month's cassette. Ut have
established the format suggested by
Nr. Koska in his letter to the
editor and outlined in last Month's
issue. To briefly review the new
Method of the way the programs are
recorded on the cassette, it will be
fron now on as follows:

Each program is recorded only
once on each side of the cassette.
The first programs that can be
LOADed will be of the snail size
followed by the larger sized
programs. For example, this month's
cassette has as the first and second
programs recorded, IK programs. The
3rd and 4th programs are 2K and the
last 4 programs are UK. The other
side of the cassette is a duplicate
of the first side.

For you new subscribers who
aren't familiar with LQAOing
procedures for cassette programs,
follow the following directions:

A - Make sure that the volume
setting of the recorder is set at

about 81 V. maximum.

B - If you have a Bass and/or Treble
control on the recorder, make sure
the Treble is at maximum and the
Bass is at niaimun.

C - To LOAD the first program, type
in LOAO " and press the ENTER key
on the computer. Then press the PLAY
button of the recorder. The lead
tine on tne OCT/82 cassette is 21
seconds until the first program
begins.

The tine needed to load the
loader program is 15 seconds. When
the program is loaded, the screen
will first go blank and then a list
of this month's programs will
appear.

Shut off the recorder when the
loader program is loaded. Any of the
listed programs can now be loaded
into the computer by pressing the
appropriate number on the keyboard
and pressing the PLAY key on the
recorder. The loader program loads
the program by searching for the

iim of the progrM you want and
ignoring My of the other programs
if nay encounter along the way.

If you want to go directly to a
program without waiting, we suggest
you first find the tape location of
the beginning of each of the
progrMS with your recorder counter.
This cm be doae as you go through
the progrMS the first tine, noting
the tape locatiM on the counter as
each one is being loaded.

If you don't have a counter,
approx iMte the tape position with
the fast forward key just before
where the progrM would start and
then LOAD the progrM with the mm
of the progrM using the forMt LOAD
’NAME OF PR06RAM*.

Sate of our subscribers have told
us that they could not get the
progrMS to load by mm but they
would load with the double quotes.
Others have told us that the loader
progrM wouldn't load certain
progrMS. Host have told us that all
the progrMS could be loaded either
way. Every custmer's cassette is
nade frow the sane Mster tape so
the progrMS on everyone's cassettes
are identical. Ue feel it is most
probably a problem of voIum
adjustment.

'ROMANS (SO « self running
- progrM mm has inverse
last character /RT = run
tiM/LT * load tiM)

1 - ‘BIRTHDAY* IK/LT* :I9

Have you ever wondered how many
people it would take to have the
probability of at least 2 of the*
naving the saM birthday? Probably
not, but this progrM will show you
Myway. Computers are excellent
devices for demonstrating
probability statistics. BREAK the
progrM and LIST it the heading
scrolls by too fast.

2 - ‘MICRO-PRO* IK/LT= :19

The Old Professor got tired of
waiting for someone to take the
lesson he taught in the COMPUTER

TUTOR article ef the July/82 issue
Md created m honest to goodness
word processor written in BASIC and
in IK yet. Uhat can it do? Not much!
But it can give you an idea how its
big brothers work.

It only allows about 2 lines of
entry on a IK machine and about 6
lines on a 2K Mchine. The IfK
machine will allow the whole
screen.

After the progrM is loaded,
ENTER RUN and you will ue a cursor
in the upper left corner of the
screen. This cursor can be moved to
other parts of the screen with the
SHIFT ARMU keys. When you want to
type in characters, simply type them
in and they will appear on the
screen without having to enter them.
Delete characters with any arrow
simply by running over the character
with the cursor.

If you never have operated a word
processor before, this progrM can
give you the feeling of controlling
the whole screen the way real word
processing progrMS do. If you have
entered text and pressed the BREAK
key by accident - not to worry. Just
enter the command CtKT and the text
Md cursor should reappear on the
screen.

3 - ‘RIP-OFF 1 -2K/SR/LT* :18
RT= : 20

Rather than telling you what this
progrM is supposed to do, we'll let
it bt a suprise. The title should
give you some indication and I hope
you are not too Md at us.

It does have its redeeming
qualities however. Lines 91 to 131
create a scrolling technique that is
more difficult to progrM than
creating the sum effect but in the
opposite direction.

f - ‘SYNCRO- SMASH* -2K/SR
LT = :28

This progrM is an excellent
example of what cm be done in 2K
that cM't be done in IK. Although
not as elaborate as some of the a

4

arcade gaits written 1 ike the ones
it the 3=2K gates package, it still
is pretty difficult to easttr.

The game begins with a set of M
inverse graphic character <V)s and 1
graphic Targe <T> that nove across
the screen in a natter rcniniscent
of a cross between an Invaders gate
and an arcade duck-shoot.

5 digit set, thpn the second tunber
of tne second digit set and so on up
to the 5th digit number of the fifth
5 digit set. As each 5 digit set is
displayed, it will be preceded by
the ninber of the cycle and a dash.
A staple night be for the first
set:

1-297 44

‘At the botton of the screen is an
inverse asterisk which is the
player's gun. The gun can be noved
left or right by pressing the <!) or
<l> keys. The gun will shoot a
projectile at the <V)s when the <2)
Key is pressed.

If one of the <V)s is hit. your
score will increase by 10 points. If
either side if the big <T> is hit.
your score will increase by 111
points. If you miss. your score will
be decreased by -51 points. After
the first shot is recorded, a
running score will be recorded at
the botten of the screen. If your
score becones less than -151. the
gane will end. If you get all the
graphic characters, the gene will
end. A perfect score is 341.

It is possible to reaove all the
graphic characters and still have a
score lower than I.

5 - ‘REACTION* -14K/SFAT = 1:55

Originally, I wanted to call this
progrw ’THE ORINK-O-METER* . It is
an excellent method of testing eye
to hand coordination and reflex
time.

If this actually occured, your
response would be to press the <2)
key before STOP appeared. On the
third set you might see:

3-82855

You should press the <8> key.
Easy, huh? To make it a little more
difficult, we have entered a routine
into the program that places these
large numbers in random rw
positions of the screen so that you
cannot expect to train your eyes at
any one screen position expecting
the number you are looking for to
appear. You will have plenty of time
to wait between cycles as it takes
15 seconds for each number to be
generated.

Now for the RULES. There are 9
difficulty levels but you do not get
to choose the one you want. You
automatically start with level 5. If
all of your 5 responses are correct,
the program will cycle up to the
next difficulty level. The effect of
this is that the large number will
be displayed for a shorter period of
time and the amount of response time
you have will be shorter therefore
making it more difficult to get all
5 correct.

It comes with all the
instructions at the beginning of the
program but I will go over them
again here.

The program will display 5 sets
of 5 digit ninbers. The numbers are
8 times the normal size and each set
will appear only briefly on the
screen. AFTER the large number
disappears from the screen, you have
to enter a number into the keyboard
before the word <ST0P> flutters on
the screen. The number you enter has
to be the first number of the first

If however you input your
response to late or input the
incorrect response for any of the
large numbers, you will drop a level
and the display time and time
allowed for your response will
become longer making it easier to
get all 5 correct.

If you are at level 1 and get an
incorrect response the game will be
over. If you are at level 9 and get
all 5 correct, the gane will also be
over.

Neither si tuition should occur
because level 1 is either easy and
level 9 is virtually impossible. You
should settle in at some level in
between and here is where you cut
tell bow you compare with your
cohorts. You may find this program a
challenge for many hours.

d - 'MINI-PRO* -IdK/SR/LT - :5§

If you thought MICRO-PRO was too
simple, here is another word
processor by the Old Professor that
is faster and has more features. It
has a blinking cursor that can be
moved with the SHIFT ARROW comands.
Oita can be displayed by setting the
cersor in position and typing in the
characters. Characters can be
deleted by back-spacing or going
over. No insertion routine exists so
be careful to input the correct
entries.

When you reach the end of a
paragraph, just press ENTER and a
CARRIAGE RETURN will occur. To CLEAR
the screen, press SHIFT ENTER. To
return the CURSOR to the K6IW1N6
of the screen, press SHIFT <H) for
hone. To bring the cursor to the END
position of the screen, press SHIFT

CAUTION - do not press the WEAK
key - all data mill be lost.

To SAME the text on tape, press
SHIFT <S>. The <L> cursor will
appear at the botten of the screen.
Type in the name you want to call
your text. Set up your recorder with
a blank data tape in the RECORD mod*
and press BITER on the counter.
After the text is saved, it can be
recalled at a later time by name or
double quotes and the text will
appear on the screen.

Feel free to use this program to
create messages on tape that you can
send to your fellow computer
owners.

7 - ■FILE* * IdK/SR/LT- 2:14

Here is the sequel to the
'NAME/AOD* program on the AUG/82
cassette tkat so masy of you had

problems with. This one has more
conventional programing routines
and it works.

When you first LOAD it. DO NOT
TRY TO BITER DATA UNTIL IT HAS BEBi
INITIALIZED. This can be
accomplished by selecting option <3>
which will dimensional > ze the
variables to be used.

The reason we do this is that the
progra has beea designed to allow
input of til customers with 8
entries per customer, It loads off
of our cassette in 2 minutes and 4
seconds. If wt sent it to you
already dinensionalized, it would
take over 5 minutes to load.

If you want to use it for a
maximum of 111 customers, it will
take over 5 minutes to save the data
on tape. It will also pause for 37
seconds after the last customer is
entered before it returns to the
meeu.

If you have less than III
customers or naes and addresses
that you want to enter, BREAK the
program and change the number fill)
in Tine 15 to whatever aount you
feel is suitable. To use the progra
in the example that wilT soon
follow, change it to (5).

The parameters for the inputs are
as follows:

LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
ADDRESS
CITY OR TOM
STATE
ZIP CODE
PHONE I
REMARKS

Id CHAR. MAX.
12 CHAR. MAX.
Id CHAR. MAX.
Id CHAR. MAX.
2 CHAR. MAX.
5 C HAR. MAX.
12 CHAR. MAX.
12 CMR. MAX.

If you exceed the maxima amount
of characters specified, tie
conpeter will automatically truncate
(chop off) the string to the
specified amount. Let us try i few
saple inputs. After you have set T
to equal 5 in line 15, RUN the
progra and exercise option II.

Inpat the following data for the
prompts:

NO. 1 LAST NANE? SMITH
FIRST NAME? JOIN
ADDRESS? 123 45TH ST
CITY/TOUT? ANYTOUN
STATE? 1L
ZIP CODE? 66666
TELEPHONE NO.? 123-4547
REMARKS? SALESMAN

NO. 2 LAST NAME? STOKES
FIRST NAME? SAM
ADDRESS? 9876 5TH AWE
CITY/TOWN? PODUNK
STATE? NY
ZIP CODE? 11111
TELEPHONE NO.? 222-333-4444
REMARKS? MECHANIC

NO. 3 LAST WME?

At this point, just press the
ENTER Key. The progran will now
return to the nenu. You will notice
it takes about 3 seconds Tor just 5
maximum custoners beTore the nenu is
displayed. Now let's exercise option
•2 and press the <2> key.

DO YOU UANT TO SEE THE WHOLE
FILE? Press the <Y> key.

The First custoner is displayed.
Press BITER and the second custoner
is displayed. Press.it again and the
nenu is returned.

Exercise option 12 again and this
tine press the <N> key to the
question oT seeing the whole Tile.

WHAT IS THE LAST NAME?

At this point we don't have to
enter the entire last nane - only
the First Tew characters that we
Teel would be unique to that

1 arson's name. Ue have two nanes
eginning with the letter <S>. Enter
the letter <S>.

Mr. Snith's data is displayed.

IS THIS THE CORRECT NAME? Press
the <N> key.

Mr. Stokes data is displayed.

IS THIS THE CORRECT NAME? Press
the <N) key.

NAME NOT IN FILE?

Press the BITER key and the nenu
is returned. Press the <2> key
again, then press the <N> key and
this tine ENTER the characters
•ST*.

You will notice that Nr. Snith
was skipped over and Mr. Stokes data
is now displayed. Answer the pronpt
by pressing the <Y) key.

DO YOU UANT TO EDIT? IT we answer
no, the nenu will return. Press the
<Y> key.

Let us say that Mr. Stokes was
pronoted to Torenan. Press the <8>
key and OTTER ‘FOREMAN*.

You will notice that you are
still in the EDIT node. You can edit
as nany categories as you like and
when you want to exit the EDIT node,
press the <N> key.

Exercise option II it you like
and add up to 3 wore custoners or
acquaintances it you like. Uhen you
want to SAME the Tile, exercise
option 14. You will be asked Tor a
nane. ENTER the nane you want to
call the Tile and then set up your
data cassette with the recorder in
the RECORD node. Then press OTTER on
the conputer.

IT at this point you want to
start a new Tile, press the <3) key
and all the data will be cleared out
and the progran can start Fresh.

Hake sure line 15 has the correct
naxinun nunber oT entries you want
to nake.

8 - ‘BULLETIN 1 -14K/SR/LT = 2rl8/RT
= 19x41

Our nonthly bulletin board
progran. After you have RUT it,
BREAK the progran and Find the
nachine code routines at the
beginning oT the listing that black
out the screen and allow printed
display on the botton 2 screen rows
that are normally reserved Tor
keyboard data entry.

~P"

tAe ^cwifuUe/i dutok

food itoraing class. My, there
seeds to be a lot tore studeats
today. I've received nany letters
aad phone calls about the things you
have learned and I oust say, I'r
proud of you all.

Today's lesson Mill be about sort
routines. Can anyone give de an
exanple what useful purpose a sort
routine can serve? Yes, the
gentleman in the back has his hand
up?

Ah, for once he is stumped. What
is a sort routine, he asks? Hell ,
I'll tell you.

Let us suppose that mu have a
sdall business and Me Mint to keep a
record of our customers' nades and
addresses and other pertinent
infomation. This infonaation could
be processed Mi th a prograd like the
FILE prograd on this month's
cassette.

To dcnonstrate a sort routine, we
first need what is called a SKELETON
to generate the iteds we
to be sorted.

prooraa
want tc

We could write a prograd such as
the following:

DRIVER PR06MH

II DIN A$(2I,1I)

21 FOR N - 1 TO 21
31 INPUT M<N)

41 NEXT N

This program would allow us to
INPUT 21 nades of a niximun length
of II characters each. This prograd
however would not be too practical
for our purposes because we would be
spending too nuch tide entering the
nades each tide we want to use it.
The folloMing prograd is nuch nore
practical for our applications:

SKELETON PR06RAM

Let us say that in our type of
business, it was essential to
periodically send out Railings to
our customers describing various
sale itens or new products. To send
out these Railings, we find it is
nuch cheaper to send then by bulk
nail. The United States Postal
Service requires that these Railings
be separated by certain standards,
all of which involve the Railings to
be sorted.

Ue know that conputers can be
instructed to print nailing labels
so it should be a simple natter to
write a sort routine to accommodate
us, right? Right!

II INPUT B
21 FAST

31 DIM Ai<B,5)

41 FOR N = I TO I
51 LET W * "

41 FOR A * 1 TO !
71 LET B4 = B* ♦

(24*RND)
81 NEXT A
91 LET At(N)
111 NEXT N
111 FOR N »
121 PRINT N
131 NEXT N
141 SLOU
151 INPUT B*
141 FAST

« 38)

CHM (1NT

TO B
AI(N)

RUN this progran and you will see

the pronpt at the bottom of the
screen in the form of the <L>
cursor. You are now being asked by
the computer, horn many items you
want to be generated. ENTER the
number *21' (you can enter up to
*22* but no more as the program will
break with a 'screen full* error -
we will use *2t* whenever screen
data is to be displayed).

This number will be the numeric
variable <B> in line III. Line I 31
tells the computer to allow 21
strings to be created with a length
of S characters each. The routine
from line 141 to line till creates
these character strings with line
171 creating the individual random
alphabetic characters from A to 2
and the routine from line till to
1131 displays these strings on the
screen. Lines 121 It 1141 increase
the speed of the character generator
routine.

The gentleman in the rear has his
hand up again. Yes sir? Uhat is the
prompt at the bottom of the screen
for he asks.

After this SKELETON program has
RUN. this prompt will appear at the
bottom of the screen. This is
because of line 1151 and is followed
by line 1141 that puts the computer
into the FAST mode again.

This is to allow the various sort
routines to be added to this
SKELETON program and lets the user
observe the unsorted data before it
is sorted. The user simply will

f ress the ENTER key which will begin
he sort, once the routine is adaed
to the SKELETON program.

At this point, save this program
on cassette with the name
'SKELETON'. Ue will call this
program back to be used for 4
different sort programs, so there is
no need to re-type it in each time.

To the SKELETON program, add the
following lines:

II - BUBBLE SORT

llil 18 ) : 1 i«'i

1131 LET K = J ♦ 1
1141 FOR L = B TO K STEP -1
1151 IF AND > ANJ) THEN
(SOTO 1191

1141 LET B$ - A$(L)

1171 LET ANL) * ANJ)

1181 LET ANJ) = B)

1191 NEXT L
1111 NEXT J
1211 FOR N * I TO B
1211 PRINT N, ANN)

1221 NEXT N
1231 SLOU

The lines from 11211 to 11231
will display the sorted data and
will be used in all of the sort
prograa routines to follow. The
lines in between the SKELETON
program and line 11211 will be the
sort routines.

If we now RUN the program, we
will first enter the number *21'.
About 7 seconds later, the 21 five
character strings will 6e displayed.
After they are displayed, press the
ENTER key again and after about 7
seconds the sorted data will be
displayed. RUN the program a few
times. If you have a stopwatch, time
the duration for the second segment
from the time you press the HfTER
key till the time the data is
displayed. You will notice that the
time is approximately the same each
time providing you are sorting the
same amount of data each time.

This amount of time, however,
includes the amount of time needed
to display the data on the screen as
reflected by the comands in lines
11211 thru 11231. To get a true
picture of the exact sort time,
insert the following line:

1199 STOP

This will STOP the program
inmediately after the sort is
completed with the code 9/1199
displayed at the lower left corner
of the screen. You will notice that
with 21 strings, the time is cut
almost 41*/..

1111 CIS

Insert the following line:

US SOTO 141

This allows th* progran to bypass
the scrim display ot the generated
data so that we can concentrate
entirely on the mount of t in* it
takes tor the generation ot the data
and the tise for sorting.

Now RUN the progra and BITER the
toll wing valves a 25 a , *58 a and
a lir for each of 3 separate RtMs
and tine the first segment
(Seneration Tine) and the secad
segnent (Sort Tine), (note * at
least 2K needed) Yovr tine data
should be close to the follwing:

Strings / Sen. Tine /Sort Tine

25

SI

111

:M.3

>18.4

>17

sld.7

:25.7

1:43

Yoo will notice with the Bubble
sort, it takes approxinately 4 tines
as lag to sort twice as nany itens.
The sat tine involved seens to be
directly proport iaal to the sgvare
of the itas sorted.

til

If you have a UK RAMoack and the

to try

, you nay want to try sating

211. Dll a IMI strings and seeing
if this sane ratio holds true. You
nay be surprised at the results.

12 - EXCHANGE SORT

1231 SLOU

If we nw RUN the progran and
enter 21 fa the mount of strings
we want generated, we see that when
the secad segnent of the progran is
activated, we have a sat sad
display tine of about 8 secads.
Enter the follwing 1 inesi

US SOTO 141
Ilf? STOP

Ue again have the situatia where
we can tine the sorting pat of the
progran. RIM the progran again 3
tines entering the values of a 2S*.
a 5l a 4 MM 1 fa the Mount of
strings to be created and sated.

Ue don't have to be cacerned
with the string generatia tine
because each was already established
by the Bubble Sat progran. The sane
ratine is used fa both the Bubble
Sat and the Exchange prograns to
create the randw strings so the
tines will be the sane. This will
ala be trse fa any of the

additiaal sat ratines that will
be added to the SKELETON progran.

To canpare the two sat prograns
we have the follwing datai

25 SI 111

:ld. 7 :25.7 1:43.1

EXCHANGE :I8.5 >3S.8 2:17.5

Let us try another ratine called
the Exchange Sat. Save this progran
a tape voder the ante BUBBLE
SORT*, ENTER NEU into the canputer
and reload the SXELETW progra.

Nw add the follwing lines:

Nw we notice sonething funny.
Fa the Exchange Sat, the ratio
between the tine it takes to sat 51
itennas opposed to 2S itens is
abat 4.2 to 1. The tine it takes to
sat 111 as opposed to 51 is abat
3.5 to I.

mi as

1121 FOR P = 8-1 TO 1 STEP -1
1131 FOR 0 - 1 TO P
1140 IF AMO) <= AM0*l) THEN
SOTO 1181

1151 LET M « AMO)
lldl LET AMO) « AM 0+1)

1170 LET AM 0*1) « 0$

1181 NEXT 0
1191 NEXT P
1211 FOR N - I TO B

This is interesting in that we
have an indicatia that one sat
ratine nay take longer than another
with lesser anants but nay be
faster when there are larger anants
to be sated.

If ya want to sat 211 strings
(believe it a not, this will wak
a a 2K nachine), ya will find it
takes 8>42.7 which is a 4.1 to 1

1 0

ratio to 111 strings sorttd.

Let ns most on to still another
sort.

Strioi

EXCHANGE

SHELL

25

51

HI

:I4.7

123.7

1:43.1

:I8.5

:35.8

2:17.5

:M.5

: 13.7

:31 .7

13 - SHELL SORT

Save this program on cassntta
under the name 'EXCHANGE SORT*.
ENTER NEU and reload the SKELETON

program Now enter the following
lines:

As we all can now see, there is a
considerable difference in tiae
using the Shell sort. As a aatter of
fact, sorting 211 strings tales only
1:21.5 (will worl on a 2K machine),
a considerable difference compared
to the 8:12.7 needed to sort 211
iteas using the Exchange sort.

1111 CIS
till LET N = 8
1121 LET N * INT N/2
1131 IF N - I THEN GOTO 1199
I Ml LET J * 1
1151 LET K = B - N
1161 LET I * J
1171 LET L * I 4 N
1181 IF Al(l) <= AML) THEN
GOTO 1158

1191 LET 81 * AMD
1111 LET AMI) = AML)
till LET AML) * B!

1121 LET I = I -N

1131 IF I < 1 THEN GOTO 1151

1141 GOTO 1171

1158 LET J = J 4 1

1161 IF J ) K THEN 60T0 1121

1171 GOTO 1161

1211 FOR N « 1 TO B

1211 PRINT N, AMN)

1221 NEXT N
1231 SLOU

strings. When we activate the second
segmen*, we get a sort and display
tiae of about 7 seconds.

Again we insert the following
lines:

This particnlar version is called
the SHELL NET2NER sort and is
considered by aost to be the fastest
of all the sort routines that are
written is BASIC. If you RUN the
prograas a few tiaes using the saae
input for the amount of strings to
be sorted, you aay notice that the
sort tiaes aay differ froa the ones
I have listed here. The sort tiaes
differ depending on how close the
original data is already close to
being sorted.

The aan in the back row has
another question. Uhat is it Sir?

He wants to know how we can use
these prograas to sort numeric data.
Good question.

Ue can have the program generate
numeric data that you can sort
instead of string data by doing the
fot owing. First change alf the
numeric variable <B) letters to <C)
(not the (B)s that are followed by a
(I)). Then remove all of the dollar
sjgns from the program and change
lines 171 & 191 to read:

71 LET 81 = B! 4 CHRP (INT
(IMRND) 428)

91 LET A(N) = UAL Bl

115 GOTO HI
1199 STOP

RUN the program 3 times with the
values of 'w*, ’SI* and Mir for
the amount of strings to be
generated and sorted.

Our time data should now be as
follows:

Does that answer your question
Sir? Thank you.

The Bubble Sort and Exchange Sort
depend heavily on exchanging the
total string variables from one
position in the list to another
where the Shell sort depends
primarily on swapping the variable
number pointers (the N in AMN)). By
using the integer function in line

1 1

11121. the process is speeded up
consider ably.

Some BASICS on other counters
have the UARPTER function which
allows the sort to be even faster.

This is hr no Mans the fastest
possible Method. Let us consider a
situation where a routine may be
■ended to sort targe numbers of
custom data.

I wrote a custanr file progran
for another brand of mi croc auu ter
that would allow the input of
■ailing list custom information
that allowed the entry of 731
customs with 5 entries per
custom. The progran was instructed
to perfora the sort by fields. The
first priority field was the Zip
Code namicaliy (states were then
autaiati cally sorted). The second
priority field was the town,
alphabetically by Zip Code (since
som Zip Codes have Multiple towns).
Then caw the last nane as the third
priority field. Then the first naM
as the foarth priority and finally
the state.

The sort was performed on a
computer with 4BK of RAM in 5
seconds. Sound incredible?

This sort was not done by normal
BASIC programing nethods. Instead,
a Machine language sub-routine was
POKEd into the counter's neaory
esing normal BASIC programing
camands that for the most pari
uist in the ZX7TS computers,
Machine language on that computer
can operate as much as 441 times as
fast as the SASIC language. Hie
possibility eiists for sawone to
write that type of routine for your
computer.

I see the hand in the back of the
room is waving wildly again and I
think I anticipate his question. Go
ahead, Sir.

He says that so far I have shown
you hm to sort one list of
variables bat what if there are
multiple lists, such as in a name
and adfretf progran such as the FILE

program on the October 1962
cassette? He wants to know how each
item or field can be sorted.

MULTIPLE ARRAY SORT

OK, as an example, let's start
simple. Let's write a routine that
creates a second array of string
variables that we can easily
correlate to the first string
array.

Let us work with the last SHELL
progran as an example. S AWE it on
tape first (string version/not
numeric version - all of the (4)
intact) using the name SHELL and
then enter the following lints:

13 DIM C4(8.3>

95 LET C4(NJ * B4<5) ♦ B4(4) ♦

84(3) a 64(2) a 64(1)

And change the following
lines to read:

121 PRINT N:* - a :At<N>.C4(N}

1211 PRINT Rj* - ‘ ;A«N),C4(N)

And delete lines 1115 and 11199

Now RUN the progrn and ENTER
"2T for the first prompt. You wilt
notice that the second row of string
variables is the reverse or mirror
image of their counterparts in the
first row. This should make it easy
for *s to identify the corresponding
data to see if the couterparts were
also sorted.

Press the BITER key again and
look at thr data that is displayed
on the screen now.

Restrain yourself in the back
raw. 1 know the second raw isn't
sorted. You will notice that the
first row is. The reason the second
row isn't is because we haven't put
in the routine to accomplish this
yet.

Enter the following lines:

1112 LET C4(I) = C4(L)

1113 LET C4(L) * 84

CONT. ON PAGE 2

1

One of the nost powerful programs
\ available to the computer user for
* finding data that requires many
calculations is the progran Mu-Calc
fraa Timex (13-1111).

In Many stores that are selling
the TS/lill computers, this is the
only software package that is
available.

Unfortunately, the documentation
that accompanies it can cause much
frustration. Ue hope this article
will help make the understanding of
this program easier for you.

Once the user becomes familiar
with the command format, the program
can be used for many applications.

First, let's review the actual
commands and data formatting
techniques.

from A to 1 down and a
command-option table at the top of
the screen with the commands,
FORMA, DATA and CALCULATE.

The letters and numbers represent
the co-ordinates of the columns and
rows. The cursor which is
represented by a shaded graphic
rectangle is presently residing in
the rectangle or box with the
co-ordinates of All.

CURSOR MOVEMENT

This cursor can be moved to any
other box OtLY when the program is
in the FORMA-DATA-CALCULATE or
<FLC> mode. To nove the cursor, you
simply press one of the arrow keys
<57*,/ or 8 un-shifted). Press the
right-arrow key briefly and you will
see the cursor move from box All to
box A02.

LOAD the program in the normal
fashion (LOAD**) and after the
program has initialized, you will
see appear on the screen:

V U - C A L C

Press the dawn arrow key briefly
and you will see the cursor move
from box AI2 to box BI2.

The expected effect can be
achieved by using the other arrow
keys.

ENTER E 3 TO BITER MU-CALC
C 3 TO CONTINUE MU-CALC
S 3 TO SAME WITH DATA
W 3 TO SAME WITHOUT DATA

OPTION?

L

)

At this point it is a good idea
to make a back-up copy of MU-CALC on
a blank cassette by using option
<W>.

After you have (or have not) done
this, go to option <E).

You will now see a grid of
rectangles from II to 13 across and

A TOUR OF THE SPREAD-SHEET

Hold the down arrow key
continuously and watch the effect on
the screen. You will notice that the
entire grid scrolls upward as long
as the down-arrow key is held
depressed until the last row (2) is
displayed.

Now hold the right-arrow key
depressed until the last column (3d)
is displayed. Ue have now reached
the limits of the Mu-Calc
spread-sheet. A simple calculation
(or the accompanying documentation)
tells us that the Mu-Calc
spread-sheet has 93d boxes. These
boxes can be used to enter data

1 3

and/or form Us.

To enter data or forautll we want
to return the cursor to the
boginn tno of tht spread-sheet. We
can do this by using the up and left
arrows but thtrt is an tasitr way.
Singly grass the <H> key and the
cursor instantly rtturns to tht HOME
position or box Ml,

BfTERINB DATA

with the proper arrow keys, position
the cursor in box Bt2.

8 - Entering Hunters

When the cursor is in box 812,
enter the following numbers in the
boxes starting with M2 and going to
M2.

2345, 1977, 3599, 8729, 7752 and
M57!

If we press the <L> key, we art
now in the LOAD node which allows us
to enter data into the box that the
cursor is in. The LOAD node will
accept inputted characters that are
either letters or nntbers of a
•axiom length of 8 total characters
in the box.

A - Entering Titles

This mans we can now either
enter characters to fora a title
that would be suitable for defining
the data that follows in a col urn
(vertical) or row (horizontal) or we
could enter the actual data. Lets
start with a title.

With the cursor in box Ml, press
the <L> key and than type in the
word DATA. If antar an incorrect
character, delete it with the shift
(I) key. After it is typed in. press
the ENTER key. The progrin has now
returned to tht F.L.C, node.

You probably noticed that the
keyboard responds slowly to your
iaputs. Be cartful not to >iss a
character as you era typing.

Now press the down arrow and the
cursor should novt to box Ml. Press
the <L> key and eater JAN82 and then
press the ENTER key. Repeat this
process with tht first 3 characters
of each isonth until you have entered
JIM82 into box Ml.

You nay notice that it is easy to
forget to press the <L> key before
you try to load data. Aftir doing it
a few tines, it should becote second
nature.

Now press the <H> key and then

After the last figure is entered,
bring the cursor HONE and position
it at box C83.

Let us suppose that these figures
represented the Monthly sales
figures of a mil business. Let us
further suppose that we wanted to
see how ouch the sales either
increased or decreased for any one
given nonth as coapared to the prior
•oath.

ENTERING FORMULAS

Here is where the docimentation
fails us. No exanples are given that
clearly show the arithnetric
functions. Uith the cursor in box
CI3, press the <F> key,

He are now in the foraula node.
Enter the following foraula:

1MKCS2/M2)

- and then press ENTER.

You will notice that the foraula
that we entered exceeds the 8
character linit that is inposed on
data antry in the (L) node. This is
allright - in the <F> Foraula node,
you can entir formulas that are up
to 32 total characters in length.

THE FORMULAS ARE NOT VISIBLE in
the boxes thenselves. When the
cursor is in the box position, the
foraula will appear at the bottm of
the screen. THE BOOKS NAY CONTAIN
BOTH DATA AND FORMULA,

CAUTION - do not put a foraula in a
box that contains data or vice-varsa
if you intend to change the data or
foraula in the future - the foraula

1 ^

Mill bKflM last jljili is entered
or the data Mill become changed if
the f omul a is executed.

If you feel that you will change
one or the other in the future, use
different boxes.

You Mil) also notice that nothere
in the documentation is there any
representation of the logical
operators 0-/0 • and others)
which are essential if one is to
make this program work .

The sample formulas on page M
showing dashes (-) in between the
box co-ordinates are not only
incorrect but misleading. I was only
able to know this myself because of

( revious experience with the
isa-Calc programs for other
computers.

This is Mhat makes it so hard for
the users to get started Mith a
program like this even though the
program in itself is excellent. The
user either figures these things out
by hia/herself, seeks the answers
from an outside source or gives up.

Oh well, to continue!

Uhat we are doing in the above
formula is asking the computer to
take the numeric contents of box M2
(the number <1977» and divide it by
the numeric contents of box M2 (the
number (2345» and multiply the
result by 111.

This should give us a percentage
relationship of the two figures that
we interpret as an increase or
decrease of sales.

After we have entered the
formula, we notice however another
prompt at the top of the screen that
allows us the options of (R)ELATIVE
or (A)BSOLUTE. The following
describes the 2 options:

- the same formula will be applied
along the row or colimn but the BflK
NUMBERS will be incremented by (1)

in, the direction of. the rpw or
column. This means that each box
that is below the preceding box, if
we are concerned with the data in
the columns, will automatically have
a formula inserted into it that will
reflect the same adjacent boxes to
itself as the original formula
reflected the boxes adjacent to it.
This is called replication.

ABSOLUTE

- the same formula will be applied
along the row or column but will not
change. This means that the sane
data will be displayed in all the
boxes. This is called duplication.

These 2 options are not
represented in the documentation at
the proper time they appear on the
screen. The documentation makes
reference to them on page 15.

For our example, let's take the
Relative option by pressing the (R)
key and we now find that the screen
displays the following:

MOVE BY (R)0U (C)OLUtf OR (E)XIT

If we EXIT, the formula will
apply (MY TO THE CURR01T INK and we
will return to the main enmand (or
FLO table.

If we select R0U. the formula
will be placed in all the boxes we
will soon specify WUf the screen
from the first formula box to the
last. This stems to me to be the
exact opposite of what we should
expect because the ROUs have been
defined in the text as being
horizontal or in other words, from
left to right. This, 1 am sure, has
confused almost everyone who has
tried to use this program.

If we select COLIMt. the formula
will be placed in all the boxes
across that we specify, starting
with the first formula box.

For our example, we will select
ROW and press the <R> key.

Ue are now faced with the
prompt:

TO ROU ?

Tricky! This it probably why the
previous prompt required <fc)0U to b«
inputted. Jfthey bad it the other
May. there probably Mould have been
just as much contusion.

But here is probably the area
Mhere most ot us are going to take
Mistakes. H you put in the Mrong
information here, the program Mill
bomb Mhen you later try to execute
the formula.

If you have selected the ROU

S tion, you oust put in the letter
a ROU. On the other hand, if you
selected COUM. you Rust put in the
2 numbers that represent the
specified column. Your entry at this
point MUST BE A BOX THAT IS EITHER
TO THE RIGHT OR UfOER THE LAST
FOfWULA BOX AND MUST BE EVEN UITH
THE LAST BOX C0NTA1N1N6 DATA.

You have no idea hoM many error

messages I later got before I
discovered this. To compound my
frustration, I kept getting the
error message, C/5111 at box B02
which means I supposedly had

alphabetic characters in that box
when actually the number <2345)

resided there.

You can observe the error

messages on pages 4 and 7. There are
only 3 possible errors. If you get
one of them, look up its definition
and the enter GOTO 9111 and the box
where the error occurred will be
displayed.

I finally overcame the problem by
re-entering the number <2345) into
that box and when I tried the
calculation from box CI3, it
worked.

The easiest mistake to make is to
tell' the formula that you want it to
replicate to a row or column that
has reference to a box that has no
data in it.

If you have a formula that must
make reference to a no-data box.
simply put a <•) in that box first
before you fOttCULATE.

Expect to get a lot of errors
because of this. Ue will go over it
again soon, but first let us
continue with our example.

I am getting ahead of myself
here, but for a purpose. Let us
continue with our example:

Enter the letter <6> for the ROU
option which means we want the
incremented formulas to be
replicated (many computer authors
say replicated when they mean
duplicated - not me, unless it is
true replication and not
duplication, the difference being
that same item of the formula has
changed in a steady pattern. To many
authors say replication when they
mean duplication) from the first row
<C) all the way down to <6).

Now use the down arrow to observe
all the formulas to the box 613 one
at a time.

Pretty neat, huh? As the man
said, 'you ain’t seen nuttin' yet*.

CALCULATIONS

Now press the <C) key.

There you are - all the
calculations have been performed.
The boxes in the <I3) column now
show figures that represent how any
given months sales compared to the
previous month as a percentage with
fill) being equal to the previous
month.

Let's now introduce another
formula to produce a running total.
Position the cursor into box AM and
press the <L) key.

Enter a <•) into this box. The
reason we do this is because in the
following formula, we are starting
with the contents of this box ano
then the formula will be replicated.
This box will only be used on the
first cycle. If we left it blank and
tried to calculate the formula, an
error message would occur.

Drop the cursor down to the next
box, BM and enter the formula

1 <£•

<BI2*M4> and press the BffER key.

Use the sue format tor key entry
responses to the up-coning prompts
as you used tor the tirst formula
and then press the <C> key to
calculate the results again.

Pretty nitty, huh?

We now have the formula
replicated (not dupl icated because
it has changed by being increnented
tram box to box) and a running total
tor each nonth.

fly the way, it nakes no
ditterence where the cursor is
located when the (CALCULATE key is
depressed. All formulas on the
spread-sheet that are in boxes on
the screen will total
sinwl taneously, Other tornutas that
are not on the screen nay not change
the data that is in their boxes
however. This is a weakness ot
Vu-Calc because the user has to
scroll the screen to all the rows
and colunns with formulas and keep
pressing the <C> key it data is ever
changed. I can envision many
complaints about this one and will
give an example you can try yourself
a little later on.

Let's try one more set of
calculations. Hove the cursor to box
B05 and enter the following formula
(you'll notice, 1 no longer give the
step by step instructions because
1'n sure by now you are close to
being an expert at this),
<I00*(M2/G04».

Ue now have a representation of
each month's sales figure as a
percentage of the total.

CHANGING DATA

As a next to the last exercise,
return the cursor to box M2 so that
columns (12) to (84) are showing on
the screen and change the data to
(4?il>.. Now press the <C> key. If
you observe the data in column 4,
you will notice that it has changed
accordingly.

If you scroll the cursor as to
observe column <B5> you will notice
that the data in that column has not
changed from when the box B02 had
(2345) in it. If you press the <C)
key, it changes accordingly.

Thinking that maybe the program
could only calculate what was on the
screen, 1 decided to try a test.

Trying this exercise again but
with having the rows hi to 03
observable on the screen, 1 got the
identical results. Column (14) which
was un-observable was in fact
changed accordingly, but column (05)
was not.

Apparently the program can change
the data only up to a limit and it
is up to us to check it to set if it
is correct. This is probably the
most glaring weakness of the
program.

GET and SET ■

This time however, when the
prompt cents up for (R)ELATIVE or
IA>B50U/TE. enter (A) and on the
next prompt, <E)X1T. Hove the cursor
down one box and enter the formula
(100XCI2/604)).

Again use the (A)BSOUTTE and
(E)XfT pronpts and keep repeating
this process with the 4th character
of the formula representing the
current row until the last toinula
entered is in row <G>..

Now execute the (DALCULATE
prompt and observe the results.

OK, now for the last exercise.
Suppose we have a very involved and
intricate formula that we have
already entered into one of the
boxes and we want to have that same
formula in another box that we
cannot duplicate it intowiththe
commands we have covered so far,
Here is how we do it.

Let us use the formula in box
CI3. Hove the cursor to it and press
the (6) key. The Message ((M)AKE THE
FORMULA CURRENT OR (C)HANGE)
appears. If you (DHAN6E, the mode
will return to the main heading. I
cannot see any useful purpose for

1 7 *

this prompt. The old formula is
ereased fron the screen and you have
no way to adit it. You can't avtn
saa it so that you could usa it as a
format tor writing a naw formula. To
nr tha prompt <C)HAN6E should allow
tha usar to adit tha fomula.

H you dacida to (HMKE tha
formula currant, tha formula is now
loadad into tha cursor whara tha
cursor is going to act as a vahida
to nova tha formula to anothar box.

Now nova tha cursor to tha box
you want tha fomula in and prass
tha <S> hay to sat tha formula in
that box.

Tha nassaga (FOMULA LOADED) will
briefly appaar at tha top of tha
scraan and tha fomula is now SET in
that box. Ba sura to usa a box to
tha right and low for this axnaple
or alsa stranga formulas nay enter
your box.

Tha naw fomula dons not hava tha
sma box co-ordinatas as tha old
fomula did. This is what tha pronpt
(MAKE THE FOMULA CURRENT naans and
you try to axacuta tha
(OALCULATE pronpt at this point,
you will gat an trror nassaga.

Tha mason for this is that thara
is no data in tha boxas rafarrad to
by tha naw fomula.

*Ubat good is this?* you ash.
Wall, you nay hava a situation whara
you nay naad tha sana fomula but
you hava diffarant data that you
want to antar into it ■ such as
totaling cartain statistics on a
yaarty basis. Tha figurns change
naeh ynar but tha formulas stay tha
sana.

Uhat you hava to do is to now
insort tha statistics or data itan
antrias into boxas asoutlinndby
tha box co-ordinatas of tha naw
fomula box.

DELETE

If you don't lika tha fomula in
any givan box, just put tha cursor
into that box and prass <D>.

RETURN TO MAIN MENU

Press tha <0> key whan your ready
to quit or if you want to save your
data on a blank cassette. Tha
prompts for saving from tha main
menu are self-explanatory.

If you wish to erase all tha data
and formulas, just antar <E) from
tha main menu and you can start
fresh.

In review, I night suggest that
you review tha documentation,
especially tha error massages on
pages i and 7. Experiment with your
own formulas ana applications using
tha logical operators to create your
own formulas. Tha <«> operator
unfortunately doesn't work. In the
fomula node, test each key to saa
what antrias can ba made and naka a
list of what symbols can ba used.

In tha last issue, I said that if
VU-CALC did one tenth of what its
big brothers, the Visa-Calc programs
did, it is certainly worth tha
price.

It does more and it is!

K»r/dL H/mfkeM

Tint bomb* 4i'<{h'+ bounce !

1 8

SINCLAIR'S PRINTER NOU AVAILABLE

Gladstone is now selling the
Sinclair printer for 499.95. They
are offering a free 32 page catalog
showing all of their products.
Another interesting (ten ist their
profesional keyboard 4 case that
connects to the conputer with no
soldering required. The case allows
the TS72X circuit board to be
nounted inside with output jacks for
cords and expansion devices
(RAMpacks, etc.). Price for the
keyboard is 485.18 and the case is
425.88.

Gladstone had 188 of these
printers in stock and sold then the
first day. Ue ordered one with a
company check, but the credit card
holders beat us to the original
stock. Ue still hope to get ours
soon.

paper. The specifications are as
follows:

• 5 t 7 dot matrix impact

- ASCII upper k lower case
(graphic letters are
(lower case)

- 38 Chirac ters/sec.

- 88 character/line

• B bit ASCII code

- Original t 1 or 2 copies

- 18 characters/inch

- i or 9 1 ine s/inch

- 5 or 7.5 lines/second

- Single color, special self-
inking cassette type ribbon

The GP-118 is manufactured by
Seikosha of the Sieko group and
includes the printer, Menopak
Centronic Parallel interface and the
Centronic parallel connecting cable.
It sells for 4399.88 plus 9.95 for
shipping k handling.

For further info. contact
Gladstone Electronics, 1585 Kennore
Ave, Buffalo. NY. M2J7 (1-888)
833-8488 or (714) 874-5518.

HBWTECH OFFERS PROFESSION
PLAIN PAPER PRINTER

The GP-II8 converts the Sinclair
code into ASCII code and prints on a
standard 9 1/2 x 11 fanfold computer

Hemotech also sells the parallel
interface board by itself for 184.95
or a serial interface board for
139.95. These devices would allow
you to hook up other printers and/or
computer typewriters.

For further informations contact
Hemotech Carp., 7558 U. Yale Aue, t
Denver CO, 88227 or call (383)
984-1514 or TUX 918-328-2917.

1 *S>

Oar thinks to Bob I Gloria
DeLisle of Hanond IN tor forwarding
this information to us.

NEW PAINTER FROI Ml

And if you hivin' t hid your fill
of printer news. CAI is now offering
still mother printer besides the
two they llreidy offer. Whit Hikes
this one different?

It coonects directly to the
computer and doesn't need the GAI/0
board like the others do. It prints
in 41 character per line node or 21
(double size) character per line
•ode.

The CAI/P48 sells for 4139.95 -
add 45. IS for shipping - HI res. add
4 y. tax.

CAI also has the best price I've
seen on the Nemopak 44 K MMpiek for
4159.95.

For further info contact x

CAI Instrwnts
PO BOX 2132
Midland. MI. 48441
(517) 467-7343

TI1CX RAHPACK SHORTAGE

It is bleating mare difficult to
find stores that have the Tiaex 14K
RAMpacks in stock as the demand
becones greater. It is not unusual
to find tuny of the stores not even
having the computers .

If you have trouble getting one,
the best one I have used is being
sold by Menotech for 459.95 for th
I4K version. Even though it is 411
•ore than Tiaex's, it aiTows you to
piggy-back another 14K or 32K nodule
on the back. This is southing to
keep in Rind if you need norc

software too.

If you have ever gone into sow
of the chain stores that have booths
for denonstrating computers such as
the VIC- 24 and ATARI, Tiaex is now
supplying these booths to sane, of
the chains. I saw the first one in i
k-Mart but it wasn't hooted up yet.

Uhat this aeans to you is that
you will be able to check out the
software or RAMpacks you are
interested in purchasing before you
buy then.

UINKY BOARD INTERFACE

Have you ever wanted to duplicate
tape programs that were non-savable?
Consider first that copyright laws
do not allow copyrighted program to
be copied and resold. Many tines we
want a duplicate tape for a backup
just in case the original
Malfunctions, but stridy for our
own use.

Dr maybe yon have written a bunch
of pragmas that are all on one tape
and you want to give a dupl icate to
a friend. You could LOAD k SAVE each
program from original to duplicate
tape. There is, however, a much
simpler way.

The Uinky Board can duplicate any
ZX/TS tape (single or nultiple

a ik) from oat recorder to
er. Thet's right, you don't
need the conputer for this process.

The Kinky Board has 2 LED 1 ights
that let you imediately and
precisely set the optima* tape
volume adjustment for any tape you
want to LOAD.

An earphone eavesdropping option
allows you to listen to the pulses
without manipulating jack plugs
and/or cassette voIum control.

memory.

TIMEX DEMO BOOTHS

We hive received reports that
K-MART is now selling the TS-lMIs
on the west coast, which Mans for
those living out there, you should
be able to get the available

It can be used with the computer
to LOAD or SAVE programs and filters
electrical noises and interference
to eliminate a ccwon cause of
unsuccessful LOADS.

It can be used to aid in tape
head realignment with its LED
monitors.

20

The open board unit requires no
power or modif ications to the
computer and sells cnplete,
assembled and tested tor $18.1! PPO .
The kit sells tor $12. 88. Add 1.88
extra it you want the earphone. PA
residents add SI, - overseas must add
$2.88 tor shipping and must be paid
by International 110 or in US
currency. .<

m v * 1

The unit is very well documented.
It cane too late tor ne to do an
actual test but we hope to do one
soon and print the results tor you.

For further info contact:

6. Russell - Electronics

RD 1 BOX 539

Centre Halt, PA, 14828

MISTAKES IN THE SEP/82 NAGA21NE

Ue saved the worst till last.
Hopefully, this will be the last
month where listed programs will
have mistakes. Because of lack of
printers, we were transferring the
listings by observing the TS/Zx CRT
and re-typing the information into a
word processor. It is amazing how we
can sit with a typed-out listing and
compare it with what is on the
screen and still haue mistakes go by
us. Next month, if we have any of
the three printers we have ordered
from supporting companies, we will
use the direct computer listings.

On page 18 of the SEP/ft2 issue,
change the following lines on pages
9 $ 18 to read:

258 FOR N = 11 TO 28
348 PRINT AT A,N; A$<8)

inverse <*> should appear after the
<■>. Now hold down the SHIFT key
again and press the (9> key. The <L)
should reappear in the cursor. Nbj
it in the last quotation marl and

CN?CBth»i i»»

SUN-1T SOFTUARE CLUB

You've heard of Book of the Month
Clubs? How about a Software of the
Month Club. A press release from
Run- i t reads as follows:

'Very soon, Tinex/Sinclair users
will find a unique solution to that
never-eoding thirst for quality

program tapes.

The Run- it Software Club will
initially be introduced to user
□roups around 11/81/82. II to IS
Run-it programs will be presented at
that time, including games,
educational and
personal/busi ness/fi nance programs.
Each will offer quality duplication,
ease of use and utility in the home
computer situation.

Each Run-it program will cone
with a money-back guarantee. One or
two programs will be featured each
month, priced at 38 Si to 4IK off
retail. Other selections (which
eventually will reach 31 or more
each month) will be offered at 18X
to 21% off retail or conventual mail
order price. Further announcements
will Be released to user groups and
Timex/Sinclair related
publ ications.

for further information contact -
Run-it Software Club. 732 S.
Sherman. Chicago, II, 41415, (312)
427-452J*

If you don't know how to make an
inverse asterisk as requested in
line 18 on page 9, it is done as
follows:

After you have the first
quotation mark on the screen, hold
down the SHIFT key and press the (9>
key. This puts the computer into the
GRAPHICS mode as evidenced by the
(6) in the cursor. Now hold down the
SHIFT key and press the (B) key. The

(My understanding, after talking
to a company represent itiue, is that
Run-it will not only sell to user
groups but also to individuals -

1

Le t ter

Th

di tor

Dear Id,

Sou tines programs that I try to
load from cassette won't load by
mm but will load with tht default
Mthod of using two quotation narks.
] still can load tht program but l'n
wondering why this happens?

John Btrnackt * Amherst, NY

Mar John,

l'n writing this litter to till
you I have found another ... Oops,
wrong person.

1 don't know for sure, but I
think it has som thing to do with
the volute level or possibly with
line interference. If anyone has
done a study of this phenatenon,
please let us know.

Dear Ed,

As a new subscriber to
Synchro-Sette Magazine, 1 an lost
with the first tape I received
(AUG/82). I have tried for several
hours to load the 14K side on ny
Tine* but there is soMthing 1 an
doing wrong. 1 can load the
‘BULLETIN’ with no trouble but as
soon as it is loaded, it starts
running and I can't get the
‘NANE/ADD* progran to load at all. I
also don't understand how to load
the a LQADE8‘14K a progran and the
other programs at the sane tiM.
Uhat do you need to get back to the
nenu from the programs?

I haue been able to load
everything except the *NAME/ADO a
program out I can't get nore than
one at a tiM. I have the 14K

RAHpack and I can load and save any
other programs without any trouble.
I need help.

Yours

MO

truly - J.R.H. - St. Charles,

Dear J.R.H.

First of alt, I want to tell you
I watch you on TV all the tine and
an one of your biggest fans. I try
to incorporate policies you've used
on the TV show into ny business.

In answer to your questions,
first of all, only one progran can
reside in the computer at a tiM.
The LOADER programs can load any of
the programs in the nenu but once
one of then is loaded, the LOADER
progran is lost.

A better way of getting to the
programs is to get a recorder with a
tape counter and list the ntnber
location where the beginning of each
progran is.

After the ‘BULLETIN' program has
loaded, the diagonal lines have
disappeared. At this point, STOP the
recorder. The 16K RAM is now doing a
checksum of the program and it will
RUN in a few seconds. If you were
allowing the recorder to continue to
PLAY, it probably ran over the first
part of the ’NAME./ ADC* program and
if you shut it off to late, that
progran won't LOAD.

You can easily find out where
programs end and begin by removing
the EAR plug fron the recorder while
it is PlAYing and listening for the
portions of the tape where the sound
goes blank. This blank period of
sound usually lasts for only 4 or 5
seconds before tht next progran
begins so it is easy to see that the
recorder could run over it if you
don't shut it off.

This is a standard procedure for
saving multiple programs on one
tape, much like the songs on an LP

2

rtcord album.

the 9/82 issue of Synchro-Sette.

We real tie that many of you have
•ever touched a computer before
own i 09 one of the Sinclair Machines.
Many of the procedures that we take
for granted, a newcomer sees as a
completely foreign world.

Please, if yoo have any questions
that can't be answered by the
owner's manual , contact us or your
local users' group, if you have

one.

Dear Ed,

Just a brief note to thank you
for your assistance with the
accuracy problem on my ZX-91 and to
let you know that less than one week
after I was told by the Tioex
authorized repair service in San
Diego that the TS-llll would not be
sold .on the west coast until after
the end of the year, the machines
were sold at a local discount drug
chain - so much for credibility.

1 am interested in obtaining a
copy of the TS-llll manual and Demo
tape.

Jim Phillips - Chula Vista, CA

Dear Jia,

In order to get it to display as
shown on page 7, I changed the
program as tot lows:

171

PRINT,. I* *|' THAT COST ■TiCi
TA 8 31 1 IN 1982, MILL COST 1
;F;TA 8 31 j* IN •iTi *. 1

The program runs without any
problems and the display models the
sample in the Magazine.

1 n a new subscriber to
Synchro-Sette and any info you have
on the Ninthtart plain paper printer
mentioned on page IS would be
appreciated.

J.F.P. - Brooklyn, NY

Dear J.F.,

The line you mentioned was wrong
as put in the magazine. The proper
format as originally written was
pretty much as the one you offered.

As of this writing, Niadware's
printer is still awaiting FCC
approval. Ue did a reuiew of it in
an earlier issue but to cap some of
its features, it is a ribbon dot
matrix printer that prints on
standard adding machine tape.

The manual for the TS-llll seems
identical to the 2X-81 manual except
for the reference to the 2K machine
as opposed to the IK 2X-81. The
pages aren't numbered the >same
although the text is in the same
order, itie cover is red and that
about tells you the differences.

All other printers print at least
32 characters. This one only prints
Id characters. The computer can be
made to print either the left side
or the right side of the screen. The
two pieces of paper tape are taped
together to give the full 32
characters.

Our manuals really get passed
around here as does any of the

single copy software but if you

would like a copy with the demo tape

by itself, you might try contacting
Timex direct.

TINEX CmPUTER CORP.

PO BOX 21 2d

UATERBURY, COM., Bd72t

Dear Ed,

1 had a little trouble with the

* INFLATION* IK orogram as arinted in

On data generating programs such
as a name and address program to
make mailing tables, Id characters
should be sufficient. All the user
would have to do is cut out the
labels with a pair of scissors and
glue them onto the envelopes. There
isn't a less expensive system of
accomplishing this and our FILE
pragftfi in this issue could easily
be converted to do this.

Ed.

ORDER FORM

Check Items Wanted;

PACKAGE #1 3 Challenging Games

PACKAGE #2 3 Old Friends

PACKAGE (13 3 Short New Friends

PACKAGE #4 2 Home Budget

PACKAGE #5 Oracle/Intellect

Back Issue Package 4-5/82 4/82 cass.

Back Issue Package 6-7/32 6/82 cass.

Back Issue Package 8-9/82 8/82 cass.

1L residents add 5.25% tax
Outside U.S.A. add 1.98 shipping
Send checki money order or Visa/MC tt
U.S, currency only

-V

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/TOWN STATE

21 P CODE PHONE

CREDIT CARD# EXP. DT.

TYPE OF COMPUTER & ADD. EQPT.

THE S & S COMPANY
388 W. LAKE STREET
ADDISON, II, 68101
(312) 628-8955

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